Dulles International Airport facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Washington Dulles International Airport
Dulles International Airport's main terminal at dusk, August 2011
IATA: IAD ICAO: KIAD FAA LID: IAD WMO: 72403
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	United States federal government
Operator	Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
Serves	Washington, D.C. metropolitan area
Location	Dulles, Virginia, U.S.
Opened	November 17, 1962 (62 years ago) (1962-11-17)
Hub for	Southern Airways Express United Airlines
Elevation AMSL	313 ft / 95 m
Coordinates	38°56′40″N 077°27′21″W / 38.94444°N 77.45583°W / 38.94444; -77.45583
Website	flydulles.com
Map
FAA airport diagram
Runway
Runway Length Surface ft m 01L/19R 9,400 2,865 Concrete 01C/19C 11,500 3,505 Concrete 01R/19L 11,500 3,505 Concrete 12/30 10,501 3,201 Concrete 12R/30L 10,500 3,200 Planned
Statistics (2022)
Aircraft operations 232,972 Total passengers 21,376,896 Total cargo (tons) 226,096
Source: Federal Aviation Administration, Passenger traffic

Washington Dulles International Airport, often called Dulles Airport, is a big airport in Virginia, USA. It's about 26 miles (42 km) west of Washington, D.C.. This airport helps people travel all over the world.

Dulles Airport opened in 1962. It's named after John Foster Dulles, who was an important U.S. Secretary of State. The main building of the airport is famous for its cool design by Eero Saarinen. The airport is run by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. It covers a huge area, about 13,000 acres (53 km²).

Dulles is one of three main airports serving the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. It handles a lot of international flights, more than 90% of them in the Washington-Baltimore area. In 2019, over 24 million passengers used Dulles. About 60,000 people travel through Dulles every day to more than 139 places worldwide.

Dulles Airport is a major hub for United Airlines. This means many United flights start or end here. Other airlines that work with United, especially those in the Star Alliance, also use Dulles a lot.

History of Dulles Airport

Why Was Dulles Built?

Before World War II, a smaller airport called Hoover Field served Washington, D.C. It was replaced by Washington National Airport in 1941. After the war, leaders realized they needed a second big airport. In 1950, Congress approved money for a new airport.

Many places were considered for the new airport. Finally, President Eisenhower chose the current spot in 1958. The airport was named after John Foster Dulles by Eisenhower's aviation advisor, Pete Quesada. A community called Willard, Virginia, was located where the airport is now. It was moved to build Dulles.

Designing and Building the Airport

Dulles Airport in April 1970, showing the main terminal's original size.

The airport officially opened on November 17, 1962. President John F. Kennedy and former President Eisenhower were there for the dedication. When it first opened, Dulles had three long runways. Its name was changed to Washington Dulles International Airport in 1984.

The main terminal building was designed by Eero Saarinen in 1958. It's known for its beautiful, flight-like shape. In the 1990s, the terminal was made bigger. Its length more than doubled. The original terminal at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport was even designed to look like Dulles.

The airport's design included a special road just for airport traffic. This road, called the Dulles Access Road, connects the airport to a major highway. It also had space in the middle for a train line. This train line, part of the Washington Metro's Silver Line, opened on November 15, 2022.

Important Moments at Dulles

First Lady Pat Nixon christened the first Boeing 747 at Dulles, January 15, 1970.

• The first scheduled flight arrived at Dulles on November 19, 1962. It was an Eastern Air Lines flight from New Jersey.
• At first, Dulles didn't have many flights because it was far from the city. But as the areas around the airport grew, so did Dulles.
• On January 15, 1970, the age of huge jumbo jets began at Dulles. First Lady Pat Nixon officially named the first Boeing 747 here.
• On May 24, 1976, super-fast Concorde planes began flying between the U.S. and Europe from Dulles.
• The Space Shuttle Enterprise visited Dulles in 1983 and 1985. It was stored here for a while before moving to a museum.
• In 1990, a super-fast SR-71 spy plane flew from California to Dulles. It set a speed record, traveling across the country in just 64 minutes! This plane is now at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center museum nearby.
• The first commercial flight of the Boeing 777 landed at Dulles in 1995.
• In 2007, Dulles got a much taller new air traffic control tower. The old, famous tower is still there but not used for controlling planes.

The current air traffic control tower dwarfs the original one.

• On November 20, 2008, a third new runway opened. This helped the airport handle more flights.
• In 2011, the giant Airbus A380 plane started flying to Dulles.
• On April 17, 2012, the Space Shuttle Discovery was brought to Dulles. It is now displayed at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
• On November 15, 2022, the Washington Metro train station opened at Dulles. This made it much easier for people to get to the airport by public transport.
• In 2022, plans were announced for a huge solar and battery project at Dulles. It will be the largest at any U.S. airport.

Why is the Airport Code IAD?

Dulles Airport was first given the code DIA, for Dulles International Airport. But people often confused it with DCA, the code for Washington National Airport. So, in 1968, Dulles's code was changed to IAD to avoid mix-ups.

Airport Buildings and How to Get Around

A mobile lounge

Dulles Airport has a main terminal building and two other large buildings called midfield terminals. These buildings have a total of 139 gates for planes.

Getting Between Terminals

Dulles used to be famous for its "mobile lounges." These are like giant buses that lift up to meet the plane door. They would drive passengers directly to and from the planes. Today, mobile lounges are mostly used for international arrivals and for planes parked far from the gates.

Now, an underground train system called the AeroTrain helps passengers move between the main terminal and the other concourses (A, B, and C). This train is much faster and more convenient.

The Main Terminal

The terminal ceiling is suspended in a catenary curve above the luggage check-in area.

The main terminal is where you buy tickets and check your bags. Downstairs, you pick up your luggage and go through customs if you're arriving from another country. The main terminal is famous for its unique roof design, which looks like a giant hammock.

In 2009, a new area for international arrivals opened. It can process 2,400 passengers every hour. Also, a large security checkpoint was added on a new level. This helps speed up security lines.

Midfield Terminals (Concourses A, B, C, D)

Most airlines use the two midfield terminal buildings. These are divided into Concourses A, B, C, and D.

Concourses A and B

Concourse A & B at night

Concourses A and B are in the northern midfield building. Many international flights use Concourse A. Concourse B was built in 1998 and has been expanded several times. It's used by many international and domestic airlines. You can reach these concourses by the AeroTrain or through an underground walkway to Concourse B.

Concourses C and D

The interior of Concourse C and D, where United Airlines' hub operation is based

Concourses C and D are in the southern midfield building. These are mainly used by United Airlines flights. They were built in 1983 and were updated in 2006.

If you arrive from an international flight without U.S. customs pre-clearance, you go through a special path. You'll be taken by mobile lounge to the International Arrivals Building for customs. If you have another flight, you go to a separate customs area in Concourse C.

There are plans to build a new, modern Concourse C/D in the future. This new building will have more gates and better facilities. The AeroTrain station for Concourse C was built where this new building will be.

Airline Lounges

Many airlines have special lounges at Dulles where passengers can relax before their flights. These include:

• Air France/KLM Lounge
• British Airways Lounge
• Capital One Lounge (opening soon)
• Etihad Airways Lounge
• Lufthansa Lounge
• Turkish Airlines Lounge
• United Airlines has several United Clubs and a Polaris Lounge.
• Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse

Airlines and Destinations

Dulles Airport has flights to many cities around the world and across the United States.

Passenger Flights

Cargo Flights

Many companies use Dulles to ship goods around the world.

Airport Statistics

Busiest Routes from Dulles

Here are the busiest places people fly to and from Dulles:

Busiest domestic routes to and from IAD (April 2022 – March 2023)

Rank	Airport	Passengers	Carriers
1	Denver, Colorado	471,000	Southwest, United
2	San Francisco, California	425,000	Alaska, United
3	Los Angeles, California	389,000	Alaska, United
4	Atlanta, Georgia	347,000	Delta, Southwest, United
5	Seattle/Tacoma, Washington	233,000	Alaska, Delta, United
6	Houston–Intercontinental, Texas	231,000	United
7	Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois	226,000	United
8	Orlando, Florida	224,000	Frontier, Southwest, United
9	Newark, New Jersey	216,000	United
10	Boston, Massachusetts	207,000	United

Busiest international routes from IAD (October 2021 – September 2022)

Rank	Airport	Passengers	Carriers
1	London–Heathrow, United Kingdom	533,769	British Airways, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic
2	Frankfurt, Germany	479,668	Lufthansa, United Airlines
3	Paris–Charles de Gaulle, France	382,422	Air France, United Airlines
4	San Salvador, El Salvador	370,607	Avianca El Salvador, United Airlines, Volaris Costa Rica, Volaris El Salvador
5	Istanbul, Turkey	276,326	Turkish Airlines
6	Munich, Germany	230,813	Lufthansa, United Airlines
7	Brussels, Belgium	219,712	Brussels Airlines, United Airlines
8	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	207,337	Ethiopian Airlines
9	Cancún, Mexico	201,991	United Airlines
10	Panama City–Tocumen, Panama	199,390	Copa Airlines
11	Dubai–International, United Arab Emirates	194,701	Emirates
12	Doha, Qatar	194,677	Qatar Airways
13	Dublin, Ireland	194,562	Aer Lingus, United Airlines
14	Amsterdam, Netherlands	164,927	KLM, United Airlines
15	Toronto–Pearson, Canada	154,520	Air Canada, United Airlines
16	Lisbon, Portugal	141,211	TAP Air Portugal, United Airlines
17	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	131,813	Etihad Airways
18	Punta Cana, Dominican Republic	112,170	United Airlines
19	Accra, Ghana	103,607	United Airlines
20	Reykjavík—Keflavík, Iceland	99,335	Icelandair

Who Flies Most from Dulles?

How Many Passengers Use Dulles Each Year?

Getting to and from Dulles Airport

By Road

You can reach Dulles using special roads like the Dulles Access Road. This road is free for airport traffic. There's also a toll road next to it for other drivers. Route 28, another highway, runs along the airport's edge.

By Public Transport

The Dulles Airport Station of the Washington Metro is part of the system's Silver Line.

• Metro Train: The Washington Metro's Silver Line now goes directly to Dulles Airport. The station opened in November 2022.
• Buses: Local buses like Fairfax Connector routes 981 and 983 connect Dulles to nearby towns and other Metro stations.
• Taxis and Ride-Shares: You can also take taxis or use ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft to get to and from the airport.

Airport Incidents

Control tower view of IAD in 1961

Airports are very safe places, but sometimes unusual events happen. Here are a few from Dulles's history:

• On January 21, 1970, the first commercial flight of the Boeing 747 was delayed because of an engine issue. Another 747 had to be used.
• In 1972, during an air show at Dulles, there were a few accidents involving small planes and a military jet.
• On December 1, 1974, TWA Flight 514 crashed while trying to land at Dulles. Sadly, everyone on board passed away.
• On June 14, 1979, and again on July 21, 1979, an Air France Concorde had tire problems during takeoff. After these events, new safety checks were put in place for Concorde flights.
• On November 15, 1979, a small bomb went off on American Airlines Flight 444. The plane landed safely at Dulles, and people were treated for smoke.
• On June 18, 1994, a small jet crashed near the airport, and 12 people died.
• On September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 took off from Dulles. It was later crashed into the Pentagon by terrorists. An American flag now flies over the gate it departed from.

Images for kids

• 

  Main Terminal Station of AeroTrain.

• 

  Inside the main terminal at night showing the escalators leading to baggage claim and arrivals.

• 

  Bust of John Foster Dulles.

• 

  Planned Tier 2 concourse

• 

  The old air traffic control tower viewed through a skylight in the main terminal

See also

In Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Washington-Dulles para niños

• Busiest airports in the United States by international passenger traffic
• List of tallest air traffic control towers in the United States